In 2017, sweet Malakai of Canada was born six weeks early weighing 3.8 pounds. Amazingly, the little warrior had only a short 12-day stay in the NICU before he was sent home with his mom and dad.
Due to his premature birth, he suffered brain damage and was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy when he was 17 months old. At the time, doctors told Malakai’s parents that he would likely never walk, crawl, or talk.
Despite their prognosis, his parents didn’t give up on him. They started working with specialists right away to help Malakai progress.
“We do daily exercises and physiotherapy at home, along with therapy appointments at the Ottawa Childrens Treatment Centre every couple of weeks in hopes that we can build muscle in his core and help loosen those tight muscles in his arms and legs,” his mom Lindsay wrote on GoFundMe.
Their ultimate goal is to see him walking and sitting unassisted.
Not only has Malakai shown tremendous improvement since then, but he has also developed far beyond what his doctors initially expected! Today, the toddler is able to walk with the help of a walker! Not to mention, he is building enough strength to walk independently and is learning how to sit on his own.
Every milestone he surpasses is worth celebrating, but one that is extra special is his ability to talk. And what a voice he has! He loves to sing the ABCs, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” and more.
Lindsay said she can’t get enough of seeing the pride in his eyes when he accomplishes something he worked hard at, whether it’s picking up a toy he was struggling to grasp or using his spoon. The small things bring him so much joy, and that joy finds its way to the rest of his family too!
What an incredible little boy! We’re so glad Malakai is living his best life surrounded by people who love him with their whole heart!
Watch him speak and sing in the video below, and consider helping his family with his medical care on GoFundMe. Don’t forget to share this story with your friends to make them smile.
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